<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Spiked Punch by sitabethel</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27136892">Spiked Punch</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sitabethel/pseuds/sitabethel'>sitabethel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bonding, Friendship, Gen, Magic, Party, Truth Serum, brief mention of hanging, implied deathshipping, implied thiefshipping</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:42:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,514</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27136892</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sitabethel/pseuds/sitabethel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryou raises his glass for a toast...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Heka: A Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Fan Project</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Spiked Punch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“How’d you get Bakura to show up?” Yugi asked as Ryou set a punch bowl on the table.</p><p>“I blackmailed him.” Ryou rearranged several snack platters around the punch bowl.</p><p>“With what? He has no shame when he does anything bad.” Yugi laughed.</p><p>“You’re right. Which is why I had to take a picture of him doing something nice. A picture that I’ve promised to share with everyone if he didn’t stay for the entire party.”</p><p>“What on earth was he doing in the picture?” Yugi tilted his ear so Ryou could whisper the answer.</p><p>Ryou leaned close. “Sorry, if I told you, I couldn’t use it to blackmail him.”</p><p>“That’s no fun.” Yugi pouted, but Ryou only offered an apologetic smile.</p><p>It was a horror-themed party, of course. The cupcakes were topped with candy eyeballs. Strawberry syrup dribbled along the buttercream icing for blood. The cookies were shaped like bones, and the cold cut platter next to the punch bowl had a skull covered in convincing flesh and sinew. Yugi wasn’t sure how he’d manage to eat roast beef after staring at the empty eye sockets of the skull. Although it was not completely empty, a fake spider crouched in one of the pits. Webs clung to the corners of the ceiling, and a fog machine along with several purple, green, or red lights created an eerie atmosphere while keeping it bright enough for Malik.</p><p>“I know it’s a little early, but where is everyone? Mai should be here at least.”</p><p>“I’m sure everyone will arrive soon.” Ryou wandered into the kitchen and returned with chips and salsa.</p><p>The doorbell rang and Ryou greeted Atem. Yugi flung his arms around his other heart and crushed Atem to his chest.</p><p>"Hello, Aibou." Atem's face brightened in a huge grin. His gaze scanned the room. "Where's Jonouchi and Honda?"</p><p>"They're not here yet." Yugi frowned.</p><p>"They're not coming." Ryou headed toward the snack table and ladled half a dozen cups of punch.</p><p>"What do you mean they're not coming?" Atem asked.</p><p>"I didn't invite them."</p><p>"Why not? They're our friends. They should be here." Yugi wondered if this was one of Ryou's pranks.</p><p>"That scaredy cat Jonouchi wouldn't like this party anyway." Kek snickered in the corner.</p><p>Shadows and fog hid most of his body from view, but the glint in his eyes from the party lights was dangerous and chilling. Yugi clung closer to Atem for comfort.</p><p>"Who <em>did</em> you invite?" Malik asked from the other end of the room.</p><p>Instead of shadow, Malik stood in a bright patch beneath a cluster of fairy lights. However, his posture was stiff like Kek's and he looked no less dangerous despite the colors shimmering in his pale hair.</p><p>"Us, and now everyone's here, so I think we should start with a toast." Ryou clinked a spoon against the glass three times. The chiming sound echoed through the room, strangely loud and resonant.</p><p>The intense red drink gleamed. Yugi swallowed. This had to be a prank. Any moment the others would rush into the living room dressed as zombies and try to scare them. Better to drink Ryou's punch and get it over with so they could proceed with the real party.</p><p>Although Yugi couldn't imagine Jonouchi agreeing to a scary prank; he hated ghosts and monsters. Nevertheless, Yugi grabbed a cup. Atem mimicked him, but his expression was wary—the way it looked when Ryou wore the Ring and fought them.</p><p>"Fine. Whatever." Malik marched to the table and snatched one of the remaining glasses.</p><p>"Is it poisoned?" Kek sniffed the punch. "You're so frail that poisoning seems the easiest way for you to murder us."</p><p>"Oh my, with modern forensics I'm afraid poison is far too traceable. Not to mention it'd be difficult to move your corpses." Ryou laughed. "If I was going to kill you, I'd trick you into visiting the Aokigahara Forest and hang you from a tree."</p><p>"Ryou!" Yugi's mouth dropped in horror.</p><p>"Hypothetically speaking, of course!" Ryou waved his own idea away. "You know I'd never actually hurt a person."</p><p>"Hmm, I wonder." Malik stared at Ryou with distrust.</p><p>"Take that punch and shove it up your ass." Bakura stood behind Ryou. Yugi jumped; he hadn't seen Bakura approach.</p><p>“I know you’re grumpy.” Ryou turned and offered his cup to Bakura. “But please indulge me and I promise I’ll delete the photo.”</p><p>“Is it at least spiked?” Bakura scowled.</p><p>“Maybe a touch.” Ryou pressed a finger to his lips as if to tell Bakura it was their personal secret.</p><p>With a growl Bakura grabbed the cup from Ryou and slammed it down in a gulp.</p><p>“So much for a toast.” Malik snorted before following Bakura’s example.</p><p>“We should have made it a race.” Atem downed his drink as well, and Yugi shrugged before joining the others.</p><p>“This is good, what’s in it?” Kek poured himself seconds.</p><p>“Sprite, pomegranate juice, fresh lemon juice, and a potion which renders us incapable of lying until sunrise.” Ryou laughed into his empty cup. “I’d like to say I’m sorry for tricking everyone, but it’d be a blatant lie.”</p><p>“What...the hell...” Bakura tossed the glass onto the floor. It bounced on the carpet. The scarlet drops staining the fibers looked like blood drops. “Eff this. I’m out.”</p><p>“You can’t leave.” Ryou picked up the cup and set it next to the punch bowl.</p><p>“Watch me.”</p><p>“I mean you can’t <em>physically leave</em>. I sealed all the doors, windows, and air vents with magic.”</p><p>“And air vents.” Malik shook his head. “I’ve literally been in your mind, and yet I underestimated you.”</p><p>“The air vents make sense. We play a lot of video games.” Yugi stared at his cup.</p><p>He wasn’t really sure how he felt about the entire situation. Atem was the one who put his thoughts into a simple, one-worded question.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because…” Ryou paused, gathering his thoughts. “I think this is necessary.”</p><p>“I’m so pissed off at you right now.” Bakura kicked the front door three times, trying to break it.</p><p>“What makes you think locking me into a room with <em>this particular group of people</em> isn’t going to end in a bloodbath?” Kek took half a dozen deliberate steps until he was almost nose to nose with Ryou.</p><p>Ryou looked up, so calm and still that it was alarming. He raised on his toes to bumped their noses together as if Kek were a large puppy.</p><p>“Don’t be silly. I would never think of a plan like this without having a way of restraining people if things get out of hand.”</p><p>“I’m going to smash all your figurines.” Bakura dashed to Ryou’s display case full of gen1 Monster World figures.</p><p>Ryou snapped his fingers and a column of light swallowed Bakura.</p><p>“Ryou! No!” Bakura slammed his fists against the light, but couldn’t step or reach beyond the cylindrical prison.</p><p>“What’s the matter, Bakura? Is it frustrating not to have control? To be a <em>prisoner</em>?” Ryou strolled around the column and faced Bakura. A green light shone above him, painting him in a sickly shade of emerald. “I have empathy for you, I truly do...but not sympathy. The gods gave you a second chance at life, and you’ve spent it <em>sabotaging</em> any possible human connections. I’m sick of it.”</p><p>“So you use your power to <em>force</em> everyone into doing what you want? Congratulations, <em>Host</em>, you became <em>me</em>.”</p><p>“Your best insult was comparing me to you? Want to talk about that? Sounds like there’s some deep thoughts behind those scathing words,” Ryou bit back without hesitation.</p><p>Bakura slammed his middle finger against the column near Ryou’s face. Yugi glanced at the others and they shot him a similar <em>yes, Ryou has lost it</em> look. Kek’s cackling echoed through the apartment. He grabbed one of the bloody eyeball cupcakes and used his tongue to scoop the frosting off the top, and washed the sugar down with another swig of punch.</p><p>“I’m glad I came—this party is great.”</p><p>“Why are you still drinking that?” Malik’s expression twisted in disgust. “You know it’s truth serum.”</p><p>“So? Stabbing someone is an honest statement. <em>You’re</em> the grand schemer between the two of us.”</p><p>“Ryou, let me go!” Bakura slammed his fists against the light holding him.</p><p>“Promise you won’t wreck my things.”</p><p>“Fine!” Bakura growled between gnashed teeth. “I won’t smash anything <em>tonight</em>.”</p><p>“Good enough.” Ryou clapped his hands. The pillar collapsed.</p><p>“But I’m not playing this sick game of yours.” Bakura jabbed Ryou’s chest with his finger. He spun and glared at the rest of them, pointing. “All you bastards stay far away from me until sunrise.”</p><p>“Why would we want to talk to you? You’re an asshole!” Atem shouted across the room.</p><p>“That’s actually <em>why</em> I like talking to Bakura.” Malik smacked his forehead. “Not that I meant to say that out loud...or this. I have to hand it to you, Ryou, I’m feeling equal parts loathing and respect toward you right now.”</p><p>“Thank you, Malik.” Ryou grabbed a cupcake.</p><p>“It wasn’t a compliment.”</p><p>“But I choose to accept it as one.”</p><p>Yugi tapped Atem’s shoulder. “Maybe we should play a game until we can leave and stay out of everyone’s way.”</p><p>“Good idea.” Atem nodded.</p><p>“I rather you wouldn’t. You really need to talk to Bakura,” Ryou said.</p><p>“Bakura doesn’t want to talk to anyone!” Bakura screamed. He sat on Ryou’s sofa with his arms crossed over his chest.</p><p>“I know you don’t. That’s why I threw this party.” Ryou stared at the ceiling to ask why the gods continued to test him.</p><p>“So you did this for Bakura?” Yugi asked.</p><p>“I did it for everyone. I think a lot of our differences could be worked through if we truly <em>communicated</em> with each other instead of hiding behind card games and snarky quips—<em>of which Bakura is the worst among us</em>.”</p><p>“Boo-hoo!” Bakura barked from his couch sanctuary.</p><p>“You know, I think it <em>will</em> be fun to talk to Bakura in these <em>compromising</em> circumstances.” Malik grinned as he dropped down almost on top of Bakura.</p><p>“You’re awfully close.” Bakura tried to cross his arms over his chest, but hugged himself instead. “Seriously? Is our <em>body language</em> affected by this? Ryou I’m going to find that stupid, ugly sweater you love so much and stuff it into a lawn mulcher.”</p><p>“I’ll help,” Malik offered.</p><p>“Why are you even here?” Bakura stared at Malik.</p><p>“Because I thought trying to socialize like a normal person would be good for me.” Malik rolled his eyes. “So much for normal.”</p><p>“This is pretty normal for us.” Yugi set a trap card face down. They didn’t have their duel disks, but they had their cards so he and Atem had found a well lit patch in the living room and started playing.</p><p>“I meant why are you <em>next to me</em>.” Bakura pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>“Do you want me to go away?” Malik avoided answering by asking another question.</p><p>“Didn’t say that,” Bakura grumbled, also avoiding the question.</p><p>“Quit being a coward, Malik, and ask him on a date!” Kek shouted from the table, a plate full of meat, cheese, and cookies in his hands.</p><p>“Who said anything about dates?” Malik covered his mouth with his hand, afraid of what else he might say.</p><p>“I’m your subconscious! You can fool yourself, but not me!” Kek smirked.</p><p>“That’s the real reason I hate you.” Malik balled his hands into fists. “I’m sick of having you say to my face everything I don’t want to <em>think</em> about.”</p><p>“That’s! Why! I! Scream! It! You need to listen!”</p><p>“Not now.” Malik splayed out his hands. “Not in front of everyone. We’ll talk about it later.”</p><p>“You can’t lie,” Kek whispered instead of screamed. “Do you really mean we’ll talk about it later?”</p><p>“If it spares us from talking about it now? Yes.”</p><p>Kek pursed his lips. “Only if you drink more truth potion when we talk.”</p><p>“Why? To torture me?” Malik glared at Kek.</p><p>“No...because I want to talk about the <em>truth</em>.”</p><p>“Fine.” Malik turned away, “but don’t talk to me for the rest of the night.”</p><p>Kek gave Malik a mocking bow.</p><p>“If you’re expecting us to have a moment like that, you can sit on the tower of your castle diorama and spin.” Bakura clenched his teeth.</p><p>“I still don’t understand why we’re here?” Atem lifted his head toward Ryou. “Yugi and I get along.”</p><p>“I invited Yugi to bring you here. <em>You</em> need to talk to Bakura.” Ryou’s plate was heaped higher than Kek’s and he snacked as he watched the others interact.</p><p>“He doesn’t want to talk to me.” Atem gestured toward Bakura.</p><p>“Hence why I locked you into a room together.” Ryou offered Kek the olive tray. Kek grabbed a few and shoved them into his mouth.</p><p>"What's there to talk about?" Bakura dropped his fist down on the sofa armrest.</p><p>"It's too late to change anything…" Atem set his cards on the carpet, as if they were too heavy.</p><p>"It's too late to change a damn thing…" Bakura echoed.</p><p>Silence. Everyone held their breath as the magic from the punch squeezed their esophagus' and prevented them from speaking until—at the same time—Atem and Bakura blurted out in union—</p><p>
  <em>I should have never trusted—</em>
</p><p>"—Zorc."</p><p>"—Aknadin."</p><p>They jerked in each other's direction as they spoke, eyeing each other.</p><p>"Aknadin," Atem repeated. "He started it all and lied in court when you attacked. I was too naïve to question or doubt my priests. Had I, maybe things could have ended better."</p><p>"You're giving that old geezer too much credit. During the Shadow RPG... I learned a few things I didn't know about. Why do you think only one spell was ever deciphered from the Millennium Tome? <em>Tch</em>, Zorc played us all like pawns. Especially me."</p><p>"Just because Zorc somehow left a trap in the spell book didn't mean we had to take the bait." Atem drew his knees to his chest and lowered his voice. "It doesn't do any good, but I'm sorry."</p><p><em>"Hmph." </em>A broken grin marred Bakura's face. "So am I, but like you said, it doesn't do any good."</p><p>“You’re too good at putting on a brave front.” Atem shook his head. “I never suspected you felt bad for anything.”</p><p>“Look who’s talking? You’re so smug all the time I never knew you ever considered your court was anything but perfect."</p><p>"Bakura, it was a Shadow Game. I didn't trust Zorc—or you—to show everything accurately, and regardless, I couldn't let Zorc resurrect. But since then…I've thought about it a lot, and I wish I could have done better."</p><p>Yugi squeezed Atem’s shoulder. He flashed a quick grin at Yugi to acknowledge the comfort, but his eyes were still sad.</p><p>"I was <em>so convinced </em>the Items would take my side." Bakura raked his fingers through his silver hair. "They were supposed to be a compass to the soul, and my cause was <em>just</em>. I knew what I was doing <em>was right</em>. But after I put on the Ring something ripped inside my head, and the pain was <em>worse</em>, and all I could think was <em>yes, yes, this is so good. I have to destroy everything, </em>but that <em>wasn't </em>my original intent."</p><p>"I know." Atem's head drooped. "Because in the Puzzle I wasn't any better. Every penalty game was <em>justice</em>, and it didn't matter how cruel my punishments were." Atem raised his head again. "But you can't hate yourself forever because of what happened. If you regret your actions in the past, make things right with people now."</p><p>“Is atonement so easy?” Bakura snorted. “Make a few friends and kiss their ass and then everyone who ever suffered because of me suddenly has their pain vanish because I’m ‘good’?”</p><p>“Don’t be sardonic, you know it’s more complicated than that.” Atem drew his lips in a serious line. “It’s a first step, not a cure-all.”</p><p>“I don’t agree with what Ryou did tonight, but I understand what he was trying to accomplish.” Yugi spun around so he faced Bakura instead of Atem. “And you know what? I really <em>do</em> think we could all become friends, if you want to Bakura.”</p><p>“Oh shut up. For the love of Shadow Games shut up.” Bakura rubbed his temples.</p><p>“Sorry, I drank a truth spell and can’t help myself.” Yugi grinned.</p><p>“I’m pretty sure we can’t lie. Not quite the same as having to tell the truth,” Malik said.</p><p>“Wow, you both really are socially awkward.” Yugi laughed.</p><p>“You know what helps break the ice in awkward situations?” Ryou dropped his empty plate into the trash. “Party games!”</p><p>“Spin the bottle.” Kek laughed from his hidey spot in the shadows.</p><p>“You wish.” Malik snorted.</p><p>“<em>You wish</em>,” Kek echoed back at him.</p><p>“I thought we weren’t going to talk for the rest of the night?” Malik smirked.</p><p>“You’re no fun.”</p><p>“Don’t worry. I have the perfect game.” Ryou ran to a shelf full of board games.</p><p>“Not a board game.” Yugi groaned. “Let's play video games instead.”</p><p>“This one is incredibly bad! It’s so bad that it’s fun!” Ryou popped out a board and a VHS tape. “Instead of a Dark Master there’s a Gate Keeper on the video and he tells you what to do as you play. The acting is so overly dramatic it hurts.”</p><p>“I guess we can play. As long as the Gate Keeper doesn’t lock away my Grandfather’s soul and forces us all to go to an Island to play in a Duel Monster’s tournament.” Yugi joined Ryou in front of his television.</p><p>“This actually sounds fun.” Atem grinned.</p><p>“I’m in.” Kek dropped on Ryou’s other side with a third cupcake in his hands.</p><p>“Slow down, you’re going to get a stomach ache.” Ryou stole a bite of Kek’s cupcake.</p><p>“That's mine." Kek crammed as much of the cupcake into his mouth as he could fit.</p><p>"You're a mess." Ryou reached out, brushed the frosting off Kek's lips, and licked his thumb clean.</p><p>"I want to kiss you," Kek blurted out.</p><p>Soon as the words rushed from his mouth his entire face darkened. He looked more surprised than Ryou, and he crumbled into himself in an embarrassed ball. The cupcake sat forgotten on his knee. Everyone else burst into laughter.</p><p>"You're very cute when you're bashful." Ryou's face glowed bright as a sunset.</p><p>Kek peeked up, grinned, and split the last of the cupcake in half, offering the extra piece to Ryou.</p><p>"Thank you." Ryou took the snack from Kek's hand. Their fingers lingered for a little longer than they should have.</p><p>"So you two going to play or what?" Yugi waved Malik and Bakura over to the group.</p><p>"No, they're going to sit there like a couple of aloof assholes and pretend they're so much cooler than us when they're actually as nerdy as every other duelist." Ryou finished his half of the cupcake.</p><p>"Well, when so elegantly described, who are we to argue?" Malik hummed.</p><p>"But didn't you come here to be social?" Atem reminded Malik.</p><p>"Maybe he's afraid of confessing to Bakura the same way Kek did to Ryou." Yugi laughed.</p><p>“Please.” Malik rolled. “Surely it would take more than quick touch to turn me into a flustered mess.”</p><p>“Call his bluff, Bakura!” Kek shouted.</p><p>“How can I bluff when we’ve drank truth serum?” Malik snapped.</p><p>“Haven’t you noticed?” Atem nudged his head toward the window. “Sky’s gray. The spell should be weakening, and you’re good with slippery language.”</p><p>“That doesn’t mean anything.” Malik’s gaze narrowed as he stared at Atem.</p><p>“Oh, then you won’t mind if I do call your bluff.” Bakura grinned, cupping Malik’s cheek.</p><p>Malik’s face did indeed darken, but instead of pulling away and hiding as Kek had, his features narrowed in anger.</p><p>“If you were hoping I’d blurt out something stupid, don’t hold your breath. When I want something—I take it.”</p><p>Malik threaded his fingers behind Bakura’s head. He watched Bakura for a reaction. Bakura didn’t speak, but his eyelashes fluttered as he closed his eyes. Malik hesitated, clearly nervous. Then he jerked Bakura’s mouth to his, pressing a furious, fumbling kiss against Bakura’s lips before shoving him away. Bakura broke out into a fit of laughter. His cheeks were scarlet and tears welled in the corner of his eyes.</p><p>“Shut up,” Malik crossed his arms over his chest.</p><p>“I didn’t say anything!” Bakura barked out between peals of laughter.</p><p>“Quit laughing.”</p><p>“Make me.”</p><p>“Guys, are you playing or not?” Ryou gestured to the cloaked actor on the TV screen glaring at them.</p><p>“Yes I’m playing. I’m going to kick your ass for putting me through this <em>stupid party</em>.” Bakura huffed.</p><p>“Well quit talking about how you’re going to win and get over here.” Ryou gestured.</p><p>Bakura grabbed Malik’s hand and dragged him to the floor. They crashed in the middle of the group. Everyone laughed and talked and they didn’t need a magical spell to know that the happy chatter was honest.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>